More spending....

Honestly it never stops! DH glasses were so scratched he couldnt see out of them - new pair cost £85! we couldnt get any money off as his prescription hasnt changed but he did get free variofocals with them.

Need new knickers (my old ones are now being used for dusters!) Asda, £4 for 4 pairs and 2 new bras for £8 total.

Went to see Harry Potter today in 3d - fab - again, went on a Monday as its 25% cheaper than after 5 or the weekend and only paid for 1 ticket as I get in free as dh's carer since she had a cinema card. Had a nice early birthday lunch at Frankie and Bennies which was a nice treat.

Due my hair cut tomorrow - I actually dont need a cut so will cancel it and make another appointment as I have found out my hairdressers give free fringe trims in between (my hair is in a short bob so it doesnt really need cutting) Now that I have found out about the free trim I might make my appointments last a lot longer inbetween.

Had a wee chat to dh about money - we need a new car so as from this weekend we will be starting another savings account for one. Also for his 60th next year he wants to go to Orkeney. I have looked on the internet and ferry (at this years prices) for 4 of us is £220! Add £350 for a weeks cottage rental (and that was the cheapest!) and petrol to get there and back and its a lot of money......So did a bit of digging and came up with a cheaper smaller ferry - £150 and found a 3 bed static caravan for £190 - so thats more do-able.

So we had a chat about our outgoings - been bad recently as we have been having trips out involving meals and random shopping - this is going to stop - only necessesties from now on...

Also, food shopping - getting really difficult to save money in this area as prices are shooting up - will do an on-line shop as its much cheaper (although you dont get the nice whoopsies!)

I always work better when I have a goal....

Asda price guarantee....

Have done this with my on-line shops but never with a real life shop - much easier on-line - hardly anything to fill in and the vouchers are credited to your on-line account and used from there. Real life is a bit of a pain - cant do it until after 6am the next day, you have to put quite a few numbers in from your receipt - then print it off and attach your receipt to it and get it back in-store....this time is was a voucher for 39p! Well, every penny counts and its better in my pocket than theirs!

Definitley back to on-line shopping next week!

And we start again....frugallness rules!

First shop after my hols - spent £58 but did real shopping (not online) - also spent another £12 on really good meat reductions so that will go towards next weeks menu. Will try and get back into on-line shopping as it really helps.....

There is so much we need to do to our flat - bathroom needs re-doing, kitchen still hasnt a floor yet (old scabby lino) - the whole place needs freshened up (there is only so much wall-washing you can do!) Our car is on its way out - need a slightly bigger one to tow the caravan better - thats a biggie to save up for as I refuse to get any kind of bank loan (debt free since 2003 and its staying that way!)

Youngest dd has turned into a proper teenager overnight and is now wanting to go out with her pals, spend money on clothes etc. She's not bad (gets her own clothes allowance) but its getting a bit much giving her £5/£10 when she goes out and I feel bad for her but I cant do it all the time.

Also I need to pay for more driving lessons - hope to book a test within the next couple or three months - my eldest has been driving 3 years today so can start coming down and sitting with me in my wee car (long story but dh managed to hit my car when he was reversing the caravan in the drive - dont know how much thats going to cost but hes paying for it!)

Seems all we are doing to putting money out........

Wonderful holiday!

Had a great time - weather could not have been better - did lots more than we expected too (Game fair, loads of museums etc) so spent a lot more than usual but still havnt gone over my holiday budget which is great.....

Going to re-jigger my finances so we can save up for more holidays like this!

Holidays booked!

Taking our caravan to the Costa Del Whitby followed by Barnard Castle - £16 per night for the first site and £18 a night for the second (paying a bit extra as there are laundry facilities at the second one!)

Top end of our nightly budget but have found the last couple of years now that everyone and their mother are going camping prices have shot up - our top whack used to be £15 and I would expect an all-singing-all-dancing site for that! alas, no more......

Have made up a menu for the holiday (leaving a few blanks for barbecues, odd meal out) and will pack the slow cooker.

Might manage a few long weekends in the summer holidays away in the tent but they will have to be very basic and cheap sites!

If its not one thing.....

Been hit with allsorts - £90 to sort out the computers, £304 for brakes/tyres for the car, need a new battery for the caravan (£90), new steps as ours are so rusty they are dangerous (around the £20 mark), oh needs new walking shoes as his are leaking (up to £30 for walking shoes), both the hairdryer and straighteners blew up within a couple of days of each other, - all this with only a few weeks until our holiday.....aaaarrghh!

Been very quiet.....

Busy doing my first big essay for my Open Uni course - its really hard when you have been out of education for sooooo long to try and get your head round it!

And my old computer finally died - had a panic attack when the computer shop phoned up and told me as I have all my family tree stuff on it - luckily they retrieved it.

So we are not getting another desktop computer at the moment - I have my laptop which we are using for wireless connection and we are using my daughters old laptop as the one plugged into the internet.

Have booked 6 days in our caravan at Whitby followed by 5 days at Barnard Castle for our summer holidays - will see how many wee trips in the tent we can also sneake in during the summer hols!!!!!!